Kouskous Heaven’s debut album ‘Music For Angels’ is so divine that it practically has wings!
This 5-piece band from New Jersey was only formed at the beginning of 2024, and say ‘Music For Angels’ was inspired by a culmination of experiences – ups, downs, heavenly highs, and heartbreaking lows – all things that members of Kouskous Heaven have undergone.
Some bands take years to find their voice, but these 8 songs arrive bold and fully formed – striking a miraculous balance of thunder and grace.
‘Paris, Texas’ – The album opens with a crisp spoken vocal delivering the band’s own description of their sound: “ANGELIC FUNKADELIC FREQUENCIES”. A howling riff erupts in an explosive start. Almost immediately, there is light and shade as the track executes a number of handbrake turns. It’s a wild ride and a hint at what is to come. Izzy Nuñez’s vocals are delicate, warm, and silky smooth. Things get decidedly jazzy in the quieter breakdowns, and the inventive fills and variations that are peppered throughout make it a trippy, dizzying opening track.
‘Thinker Bell’ – An angular, dissonant intro followed by some intricately funky guitar & bass work. Bryan McNaughton (on bass) and Ryan Puharic & Josh Skoudis (on guitars) certainly earned their keep on this one! It’s a mesmerizing display of skill and musicality. There’s quite a gritty, workmanlike sound too, giving it an edgy rawness. The heavier sections are great, and had me nodding my head in appreciation. There are so many little details and flourishes that it often feels like a musical magic trick. Just when you think you know what to expect, they pull another rabbit from the hat – the final chaotic groove is fabulous and has a menacing, tortured riff that I loved.
‘We Makin’ It Out Of Neverland With This One’ – A halting heaviness and an epic, 90’s grunge feel alternate with light, airy sections to create another rollercoaster of a track. Angelic vocals, crushing riffs, and abstract lyrics that had me scratching my head. Confessions? Conflicts? Shame? It’s just another layer to peel back! NB Full lyrics can be found for each track on Bandcamp:
“I’ll look under the steps
You won’t find me there yet
The floor is soaking wet
Please don’t save up your plastic tears”
‘Dogs’ – Punk rock meets math rock in a headbanging frenzy. With rat-a-tat drums and tidal waves of guitar distortion, this feels like we are barely hanging on – spinning out of control with only brief respites of calm.
‘Art Of The Riff’ – There’s a groovy little riff on this one – so it’s an aptly named track for sure! The spacious vocal adds an airy texture. At times, things feel ready to spill over, threatening to overwhelm – bursting forth like an explosion in a guitar factory – but every time, things pull back from the brink. Logan Bogdan’s drums alternate between regimented structure and wild, frenzied abandon.
‘Akoustic’ – A more intimate sound – things stay relatively calm throughout, although the intensity does build slightly towards the end. The closest thing to a “normal” indie pop-rock track so far, the urgent rhythm guitar gives the track a nice momentum, and the elegant vocal melody feels honest and vulnerable as Izzy sings of the quiet devastation of longing:
“I’d love to sow the seeds
And watch the flowers blossom
But our soils filled with salt
It’s neither of our faults”
‘Are You Ready To Go Back To An Empty Home?’ – The fact that there seems to be a little typo in the naming of this track on Spotify made this album feel even more human, and made me love the band even more – leave it as it is, I say! The first half has a calm tension, with acoustic warmth and a meditative motif. Just after halfway, guitars slice through the track like cold daggers and combine with crashing drums to shatter the atmosphere. The haunting vocal holds notes in heartbreaking suspense. Like standing on a mountaintop in a raging storm – it’s awe-inspiring yet terrifying – until everything breaks down into an elegant reprise.
‘Cats’ – An intro that seamlessly blends with the previous track gives way to ethereal vocals, and they do battle with radioactive guitars possessing face-melting power. Then we are treated to a jazzy, funk workout with a rolling groove. Locked into a jam of biblical proportions, the track is happy to sit in the pocket and tickle us until we can take no more. Like a psychedelic prog-rock odyssey, I could have listened to this one all day. Introspective and poignant, the lyrics seem to navigate themes of isolation and depression:
“Turned another cheek
Lost another tooth
The year became so mute
No color in my room”
After a natural finish, there is some extended feedback…then some acoustic guitar…followed by some brief noodling. It’s like the album is reluctant to let go – and after such a trip, I am too!
This stunning debut is a revelation – it repeatedly turns on a sixpence, writhing and twisting like a dancing snake.
Rock of many flavours, jazz & funk – it’s all here. This record parts the seas and shakes the earth – yet feels like manna from heaven in its more delicate moments.
Written by Grubby
